Tonight we had our retirement/End of the Year Celebration Party for school. It was great as usual, but I am really having a hard time with this year’s retirees.

We have 6 staff members retiring (1 of whom is exiting quietly and without the pomp and circumstance, which I respect). These 5 staff members are the elite of the elite as far as staff go in our building. These 5 people were the people I looked up to when I first arrived at the JMS doorstep in August of 1999. These 5 people are irreplaceable in our school… but yet I am so happy that they are able to retire and will be able to enjoy life with their families and their hobbies.   They truly deserve happiness in retirement!

• First we have an AMAZING math teacher. She is the first one to school each morning and one of the last to leave. She goes above and beyond the call of duty as she makes her daily connections with staff and students. She is truly one of the best teachers we have!
• Then we have a dedicated and awesome science teacher who makes learning fun for EVERYONE! He works so hard to make sure his students are learning in his classroom. I remember my first year at JMS, I took on an extra teaching assignment the first semester, so I taught a Math class to 8th graders who needed a bit of help on the basics. The thought was that these basic skills would help them pass that MN Basic Skills Test (as of most passing trends in education, this test no longer exists!). Anyway, I was teaching my lesson in my colleague’s science classroom. While I was teaching, Albert, a classroom pet bird landed on my head! I totally didn’t know what to do, so I just kept teaching and Albert flew back to his perch above the cabinet. Man, my heart was racing during that lesson! He scared the crap out of me! (Although, thankfully, I did not scare the CRAP out of him…..as if that had happened, I would have lost complete control of my class!)
• Then we have an angel who works in our in-school suspension room. She is AMAZING! I don’t know how she does her job, but she does it well and has done it well for over 25 years! She rules with an iron fist, but those kids LOVE her and will work for her when they are in her custody!
• One of our finest guidance counselors is bidding adieu. She has been awesome to work with during my years at JMS. She is super organized and always in my corner when I am walking into an IEP meeting and we need to explain to parents how their child is not being successful in their current program. She is super-detailed oriented and has sat down with me PATIENTLY numerous times as we try to tweak a student’s schedule or class load to make them more successful in school.
• Last but definitely not least is one of our associate principals. I don’t think there are words to describe what a truly kind, generous, big hearted man he is. He is one in a million and will be missed dearly! He is absolutely phenomenal with our students with disabilities! He makes all of their days…and ours as staff! He goes out in the courtyard to build snowmen in the winter with one of our SpEd students! He bends over backwards to do what’s right for kids….and that’s what education is all about.

These 5 people have been amazing to work with…They are truly fascinating, extraordinary people who love what they do and it shows each and every day! Life at JMS will never be the same without these pillars!